The present invention relates generally to door hinges (e.g., vehicle door hinges). At least in one embodiment, for example, the present invention relates to the repair of vehicle door hinges.
There are numerous types of door hinges used on various types of vehicles. For example, one type of conventional factory door hinge assembly 10 (e.g., for a driver's side of a vehicle) is shown in the prior art diagrams of FIGS. 1–2. For example, such a door hinge is used on 1999 and various newer vehicles such as a Cadillac Escalade, a Cadillac Escalade EXT, a Chevrolet Avalanche, a Chevrolet Silverado pick-up, a Chevrolet Suburban, a Chevrolet Tahoe, a GMC Denali, a GMC Sierra pick-up, a GMC Suburban, and a GMC Yukon.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the factory hinge assembly 10 for the vehicle 9 includes a factory frame bracket 18 attached to the vehicle frame (e.g., welded), a factory door bracket 16 attached (e.g., welded) to a driver's side door 14, and a factory hinge bracket assembly 20 for coupling the factory vehicle frame bracket 18 to the factory door bracket 16 to mount the driver's side door 14 relative to the vehicle frame 12. The factory hinge bracket assembly 20 includes a factory hinge bracket 22 coupled to the vehicle frame bracket 18 using an upper factory pin 24 and a lower factory pin 26.
The factory vehicle frame bracket 18, as shown separately in FIG. 1C, generally includes a body portion 40 for attachment to the vehicle frame 12 along with spaced apart extension members 42, 44 extending from the body portion 40. An upper opening 46 is defined in the upper extension member 42 and a lower opening 48 is generally defined in lower extension member 44. The upper opening 46 and lower opening 48 are typically orthogonal to a factory frame bracket axis 50 along which such openings 46, 48 lie.
The factory hinge bracket assembly 20 generally includes a factory hinge bracket 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the factory hinge bracket 22 includes a body portion 59 having two spaced apart extension members 52, 54 extending therefrom. The extension members 52, 54 are generally configured such that the factory hinge bracket 22 fits within a space defined by the extension members 42, 44 of factory vehicle frame bracket 18.
Although not shown in FIG. 2, factory hinge bracket 22 further includes openings defined in each of extension members 52, 54. When the factory hinge bracket 22 and the vehicle frame bracket 18 are assembled, the openings defined in each of extensions members 52, 54 and the openings 46, 48 defined in extension members 42, 44 of the vehicle frame bracket 18 are generally aligned along axis 50 of the vehicle frame bracket 18 and lie orthogonal to the axis 50.
The factory hinge bracket 22 is coupled to the frame bracket 18 using the upper factory pin 24 and lower factory pin 26. As best shown in FIG. 2, the upper factory pin 24 is inserted through the upper opening 46 defined in extension member 42 of the factory vehicle frame bracket 18 and also through the opening (not shown) in extension member 52 of factory hinge bracket 22. Prior to insertion of the upper factory pin 24, a bushing (not shown) is also inserted into opening 46 of the factory vehicle frame bracket 18. A peened end 25 of the upper factory pin 24, along with engagement element 23 of upper factory pin 24, provide for coupling of the extension member 52 of the hinge bracket 22 to the upper extension member 42 of the factory vehicle frame bracket 18, and further provide a pin end portion 29 over which factory door bracket 16 may be placed.
Likewise, after insertion of a bushing (not shown) within lower opening 48 of lower extension member 44 of factory vehicle frame bracket 18, lower factory pin 26 is inserted through the opening defined in the lower extension member 54 of the factory hinge bracket 22 and through lower opening 48 in lower extension member 44 of the vehicle frame bracket 18. Peened end 27 of lower factory pin 26, as well as engagement element 31 of lower factory pin 26, hold a lower factory pin 26 in position for coupling the factory hinge bracket 22 to the factory vehicle frame bracket 18, and further provide a pin end portion 37 over which the factory door bracket 16 may be placed.
The factory door bracket 16, as shown in FIG. 1B, typically includes a bracket body portion 28 with spaced apart extension members 30, 32 extending from body portion 28. Generally, the body portion 28 is attached to the door 14 of the vehicle 9, such as, for example, by welding.
An upper opening 34 is defined in extension member 30 and a lower opening 36 is defined in extension member 32. Generally, the upper opening 34 and the lower opening 36 are spaced a distance apart along factory door bracket axis 41. Generally, such upper and lower openings 34, 36 lie orthogonal to axis 41.
With the door bracket 16 attached to the door 14, the door 14 may be hung via the upper and lower openings 34, 36 on pin end portions 29, 37 of the factory hinge bracket assembly 20. After the door 14 is positioned relative to the vehicle frame 12 via the factory hinge 10, the door 14 may further be adjusted.
For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, a factory adjustment slot 43 may be provided in a tab of the factory door bracket 16, and a bolt opening 49 may be provided in the body portion 50 of the factory hinge bracket 22. A bolt or any other fastening or coupling mechanism 51, as shown in FIG. 1A, may be used to adjust the factory door bracket 16 vertically with respect to factory hinge bracket 22 by insertion of the bolt 51 through the bolt opening 49 in the hinge bracket 22 and through factory adjustment slot 43 of factory door bracket 16. With the door in an adjusted position, the bolt (or any other suitable hardware) may be used to lock the factory door bracket 16 into a position relative to the factory hinge bracket 22.
In many circumstances, the factory door bracket 16 is welded to door 14 and the vehicle frame bracket 18 is welded to the vehicle frame 12. As such, if a factory hinge 10 becomes defective, a standard method of repair would include removing the defective hinge assembly 10 and welding on new components. Further, the new components would have to be painted, as typically they are not coated from the factory. In some circumstances, both hinges of the door may need to be repaired. Such a removal and replacement process is very costly, both in terms of the parts needed to complete the repair, as well as labor costs.